Popular GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound have already transformed the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Now, new research suggests these medications may also help prevent and treat addiction across a broad range of substances.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that GLP-1 medications were associated with lower risks of developing substance use disorders involving alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and other substances. The drugs were also linked to fewer overdoses, hospitalizations, and drug-related deaths among people already living with addiction.
The findings were published in The BMJ.
GLP-1 Drugs and Addiction
GLP-1 receptor agonists were originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes, but their popularity has surged in recent years because of their effectiveness for weight loss. Along the way, researchers began noticing something unexpected.
